Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds preview

While most folks were voting last Tuesday, ( I mailed my absentee ballot weeks ago.) I was at the Foreign Cinema in the Mission District, where Sony was holding a preview for Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds.

Let me get this off my chest. I’m not a huge golf fan. I don’t know the Hot Shots series that well, and the only time I’ve been out on the green is during a high school trip to the Family Fun Center. So I wasn’t sure what to expect from a PlayStation 3 golf title.

But I was surprised at how fun the experience was. The game is more arcadelike compared to EA’s Tiger Woods. You don’t have to be precise moving the analog sticks and such. Instead, everything is controlled with button presses that you have to time for power and accuracy. Hit a little early and the ball may end up sleeping with the fishes.

Thrown into the mix are a special moves like a super backspin and stronger than average shot that can help you on those long drives on the fairway. Your caddie — there are six of them — even helps out on the course, helping to take into account slope and wind.

In the Out of Bounds, players pick one of 15 characters and if they decide to stick with him (or her), they can watch the character improve their stats and acquire new clothes.

What’s even better is the online mode, which is shaping up nicely with a lobby feature and online chat mode that works great with a keyboard. I actually had a lot of fun hitting the ball around and talking smack between holes.

In a testament to the easy learning curve to the game, I actually found myself improving as the night wore on. My first golf game left me at +20 or something, but by the time I left, I knocked that down to a +8.

As a first time Hot Shots Golf player, there was a lot to like. A solid online mode and a casual play style makes this title appealing for those looking for a PS3 golf title.